The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for separating specifically lighter, solid components from a flow, such as a gas flow having these lighter components suspended therein, whereby the flowing medium is the gas and the solid components suspended in the gas which has the lightest density of all the components forming the flowing medium. The flow travels through a bent channel in which it is detoured and whereby at least a portion of the flow is introduced into a whirling chamber which is arranged so that the channel and the chamber contact each other along a tangent. Preferably the chamber is arranged in the inner curve of the bent channel in direct contact and communication with the channel, whereby a centrifugal field is produced in the whirling chamber. Two immersion pipes reach into the chamber coaxially and in a mirror-symmetrical manner relative to the central plane of the chamber for sucking the components of lighter density out of the chamber.
German Patent Publication No. 2,233,437 describes and illustrates a method of the above type. In the present context, it is the aim to separate the component or components of lower density from a flowing medium as efficiently as possible, for example, to clean dust out of the air. In this example of dust contaminated air, an efficient cleaning means that the quantity of clean air sucked out of the whirling chamber should be as large as possible in order to accumulate as much dust as possible in the main stream of the flowing medium. The main stream and the accumulated dust therein, is then supplied to a direct separator. Several attempts have been made to improve the efficiency of the just described prior art method. One such attempt is described in German Patent Publication No. 2,160,415.
British Pat. No. 733,786 (Waagner-Biro) discloses a whirling chamber dust cleaning method wherein axially extending outlet ports reach only slightly into the whirling chamber apparently to avoid secondary current flows. Contrary thereto the invention uses secondary current flows to increase the cleaning efficiency as will be explained in detail below. The British Pat. No. 733,786 provides tangential exit ports adjacent the ends of the chamber for the removal of the fine dust. These exit ports are necessary because secondary currents are suppressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 474,490 (Walter) shows a whirling chamber with tangential influx of the flowing, contaminated medium and axial withdrawal of the gas. The axially extending exit pipes are axially adjustable in the extent to which these pipes reach into the chamber. However, the entire gas volume must exit through the axial pipes so that no advantage is taken of the formation of secondary current flows.